1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic device including an image capturing device for shooting an object. More particularly, the present invention relates to a window for preventing camera distortion in the electronic device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Electronic devices have been developed to have various functions to meet a user's desire. For example, in the case of a mobile communication terminal, a user may listen to various music using an MP3 sound source besides a basic function for communicating with a counterpart user, enjoy web surfing using a wireless Internet network, and download and use various programs using the mobile communication terminal. In addition, the mobile communication terminal has at least one high-pixel image capturing device, including a camera lens assembly, to allow a user to shoot an object and thus capture an image of the object. In particular, not only a still image but also a moving picture, as well as a three dimensional image shooting function, is generally incorporated into electronic devices.
These electronic devices have been fabricated to have a more elegant design and a slimmer volume while having all the above-described various functions. Therefore, manufacturers of the device miniaturize the device while developing functions of the relevant assemblies mounted on the device depending on a relevant function in a more excellent direction and consequently make an effort to reduce an entire volume of the electronic device.
In addition, such electronic devices have a display unit and a key input unit as a data input/output device, and a touchscreen unit that can perform data input/output simultaneously. Generally, the touchscreen unit occupies 90% or more of the front side of the electronic device. Therefore, recently, a window formed of glass or polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is generally disposed on the front side of the electronic device to protect various electronic functional components such as a touch panel, a display panel, etc. disposed inside the electronic device and to form an appearance of a product. In addition, a camera lens assembly for Video Telephony (VT) that should be essentially disposed on the front side of the electronic device is configured to shoot an object via a shooting region provided with the window, such as a circular transparent portion, which is separate from a printing portion, upon which indicia or labels, such as a manufacturer logo or symbols, including button settings, are printed or mounted.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of an electronic device 100 in the prior art illustrating that a camera lens assembly of the prior art is mounted inside the electronic device 100.
As illustrated in FIG. 2, in the electronic device 100, a substrate 30 is disposed inside a predetermined space formed by a front case frame 106 and a rear case frame 107. A camera lens assembly 20 is mounted on the substrate 30. Also, a window 110 formed of glass or PET for covering most of the appearance of the front side of the electronic device 100 is installed in the front case frame 106.
In this window 110, a transparent shooting region 114 is disposed in a position corresponding to the camera lens assembly 20, that excludes a display region. Preferably, the portion that also excludes the transparent shooting region 114 is a non-active region 113 and corresponds to a black printing region generally, or other colored printing regions upon which indicia or labels, such as a manufacturer logo or symbols, such as button settings, are printed or mounted.
In addition, the transparent shooting region 114 may include a curved surface determined by the overall design or shape of the electronic device 100. In this case, the transparent shooting region 114 of the upper surface of the window 110 may be formed in a curved shape having a predetermined curvature, and the rear surface 112 of the window 110 is formed as a flat plane generally so that assembly of the required components is easily performed.
However, according to this structure, not only is distortion generated due to refraction by the curved structure of the window's upper surface but also internal reflection occurs that generates an unexpected spot to a screen when an image shot is generated, so that this structure cannot meet a user's expectation and consequently, quality and reliability of the image capturing by the electronic device 100 deteriorate.
In addition, to complement the above-described problems and prevent distortion by the curved upper surface, a lens module of a camera lens assembly should be re-designed.